What was the signature play for the 1986 Giants?

Burt leveling Montana in the divisional round comes to mind.

vs. Minnesota was a big play to win a game we were losing!

but Bavaro dragging the entire 49er defense is an extemely close second

Was that the year Gary Reasons flew through the air to stuff the Denver RB on 4th & inches from the goal line?

And his shoeless, flopping sock TD run.

In comment 14861502 GruningsOnTheHill said:

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Was that the year Gary Reasons flew through the air to stuff the Denver RB on 4th & inches from the goal line?

That was November '89.

In comment 14861502 GruningsOnTheHill said:

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Was that the year Gary Reasons flew through the air to stuff the Denver RB on 4th & inches from the goal line?

That and the Norwood kick is when time slowed down.

4th and 17. Then and there, I knew the team COULD win the Super Bowl. Before that, I always assumed they would not be able to make the big play when all the chips were down. That play sealed my belief that things had finally...FINALLY....changed.

catching a TD pass from Jeff Hostetler o a fake FG vs. the Eagles.

Showed anything is possible.

...an enormous play when it happened, and in discussions about that season in the years immediately following, even in the GIANTS AMONG MEN video recap of the season - that play was highlighted as a turning point.

The room I was in exploded over that play. Game was over, room silenced by the pending defeat. HUGE win.

Though most of that season featured victories of 7 or fewer points, they seemed pretty invincible after that game.

...make it look more like 1886 than 1986.

Thanks for making me feel old...er.

Not that it was the most important, arguably Johnson's was. However it was on Monday night, in front of the whole country, and we looked like crap. Bavaro's catch energized the team, IMO, for the rest of the season. It was kind of like he said screw this, we can play with anybody. From that moment on we couldn't be stopped.

I knew in my heart they were going to win it all. That moment just dropped with destiny.

4th and 17. And in the big picture, that is probably the correct answer. But man....its really really hard for me to not pick the Bavaro play. My favorite play from my favorite Giant of all time. And it was against the freakin Niners!

What a season that was. Had a good friend at the time who was a big Broncos fan. He was expressing a lot of confidence about the game in the week leading up. I told him, in no uncertain terms, that I thought Giants were gonna kick their ass. That team was just rock solid. I havent really felt that confident about a Giants playoff game since (except maybe the Atlanta playoff game).

..and jumping off my couch and fist pumping when Bavaro made that play on MNF. Phil Simms thinks it was the signature play of the season.

Johnson's catch/Simms' throw really changed the complexion of the Giants as team that couldn't do it. So that was big.

And I contend that George Martin's play was the greatest single play in old Giants Stadium history.

All three were great. When you win a championship, players make great plays.

that season's signature play was 4th and 17.

but that era's signature play was Bavaro on MNF.

for me, defines that season, that team, and maybe provided a hint about Simms 22-25 in the SB.

Big conversions like that are massive, especially that one.

Much like Ingram's 3rd and 13 (I think) in SB 25

The Giants played at a different level after that play....

I think we all knew what was coming after that

That's when I knew they had everything clicking and they could win it all.

In comment 14861546 MBavaro said:

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Big conversions like that are massive, especially that one. Much like Ingram's 3rd and 13 (I think) in SB 25

I still remember the quote from the Super Bowl XXV highlight film: 'In a game full of superlatives, Mark Ingram's effort on 3rd & long can best be described as...inspiring. The drive was kept alive. And the clock kept ticking.'

Of them.

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Burt leveling Montana in the divisional round comes to mind.

Me too. It’s worthy of another view....

https://youtu.be/T0BiS7Z66wQ

Was 89, not 78.

For me, George Martin stiff arming John Elway to the ground on his way to the house is an all time image.

Madden and Summerall? They were awesome together.

In comment 14861573 Poktown Pete said:

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For me, George Martin stiff arming John Elway to the ground on his way to the house is an all time image.

Youtube:
Link - ( New Window )

Super Bowl was in the bag after the league saw that play.

In comment 14861566 Gregorio said:

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Quote: Burt leveling Montana in the divisional round comes to mind. Me too. It’s worthy of another view.... https://youtu.be/T0BiS7Z66wQ

Different era, and one much preferred to the product today, IMO. In our current ticky-tack NFL that's roughing the passer and 1st down 49ers!

Simms to Morris to Simms to McConkey flea flicker in SB 21. Ballgame.

In comment 14861592 Poktown Pete said:

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In comment 14861566 Gregorio said: Quote: Quote: Burt leveling Montana in the divisional round comes to mind. Me too. It’s worthy of another view.... https://youtu.be/T0BiS7Z66wQ Different era, and one much preferred to the product today, IMO. In our current ticky-tack NFL that's roughing the passer and 1st down 49ers!

I was at that game with my dad.

The only thing truly profound is the passing of time.

Consideration was coming back after the tough opening game loss to Cowboys (damn Hershel Walker) and stomping SD in home opener and going on a run up to the Seattle loss.

In comment 14861517 x meadowlander said:

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...make it look more like 1886 than 1986. Thanks for making me feel old...er.

Hahaha, yeah I know, me too.

The newspaper print does add a certain character to the photos though, I like it.

In comment 14861568 PaulN said:

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Was 89, not 78.

The box score has it as 78.

Link - ( New Window )

I always credit my Mom for that play, because she was saying a Novena at the time.

Last minute, I'm quite sure Parcells never let them forget that one.....
4th and 17, yeah...
Burts hit on Montana, LT int return on same play.
So many... Greatest year of all particularly to those of us who waited 31 years to reach the mountain top

in the preseason finale KOR

and speaking of Bobby, this is a great story about him in the video. Hard to watch at the same time.
Bobby Johnson Story - ( New Window )

One is the 4th and 17. Another is Bavaro's catch and run against the 49ers. The last is Joe Morris long TD against the Steelers with his sock flapping because he lost his shoe early in the play.

The last one wasn't really a crucial.play, but I always loved that one. My favorite play during my lifetime is the Bavaro play.

In the Meadowlands. The Giant fans were making so much noise on the Cowboys final possession that the Refs actually held up the game. How can that be?

Banks knocks Danny White out of the game (broken wrist). George Martin comes up big late also with tons of pressure. Man, seeing this team in action again is priceless.

In comment 14861662 Matt M. said:

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One is the 4th and 17. Another is Bavaro's catch and run against the 49ers. The last is Joe Morris long TD against the Steelers with his sock flapping because he lost his shoe early in the play. The last one wasn't really a crucial.play, but I always loved that one. My favorite play during my lifetime is the Bavaro play.

Giants didn't play the Sterlers in 86. The long run where morris lost his shoe was vs the raiders
Link - ( New Window )

In comment 14861690 micky said:

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In comment 14861662 Matt M. said: Quote: One is the 4th and 17. Another is Bavaro's catch and run against the 49ers. The last is Joe Morris long TD against the Steelers with his sock flapping because he lost his shoe early in the play. The last one wasn't really a crucial.play, but I always loved that one. My favorite play during my lifetime is the Bavaro play. Giants didn't play the Sterlers in 86. The long run where morris lost his shoe was vs the raiders Link - ( New Window )

Thanks. I always remembered it as the Steelers.

Carrying Lott and the other 49ers on his back for 20yds gets my vote

And those missing Summerall and Madden, I agree. But I miss Summerall and Brookshire more. I know.....I am old but they bring me back to the 60's when I was a little kid.

In comment 14861698 Matt M. said:

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In comment 14861690 micky said: Quote: In comment 14861662 Matt M. said: Quote: One is the 4th and 17. Another is Bavaro's catch and run against the 49ers. The last is Joe Morris long TD against the Steelers with his sock flapping because he lost his shoe early in the play. The last one wasn't really a crucial.play, but I always loved that one. My favorite play during my lifetime is the Bavaro play. Giants didn't play the Sterlers in 86. The long run where morris lost his shoe was vs the raiders Link - ( New Window ) Thanks. I always remembered it as the Steelers.

Actually, both are true.

Morris did have a long TD run agaisnt the Steelers with his sock flapping, but it was 1985.

Maybe Morris should have worn hightops?

4th and 17 play vs Minny...did not need the list of plays. 1st thing I thought of.

was head and shoulders the winner IMO.

In the early 90's I worked with his wife. She was a nurse at a hospital where I was a resident. She was super sweet and absolutely gorgeous! She had the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen!

One night on call I told her I was a big Giants fan, and she said my husband used to play for them. And I was like "What"!?! :-)

Yes and makes perfect sense if you were lucky enough to be there in those days.

to me was the moment. And if you go back and watch the game, Stacy Robinson dropped a bomb that would have been a TD a few plays before it happened or else it would have never been needed.

but LT. Everything he did... He was the 86 Giants in my mind. I was young then, maybe I remember it through a pre-teens eyes.

In comment 14861501 Reb8thVA said:

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but Bavaro dragging the entire 49er defense is an extemely close second

This.

blasting Joe Montana out of the endzone

how about the 07 guys.. which play would you pick?

The other plays could be signature plays but they were more super human solo efforts. What made the 4th and 17 play so signature is that it almost alone grabbed victory from the clutches of defeat in a big turning point game. Also the play itself was such a team effort. Johnson running a great route and toe touching the sideline, Simms standing in there till the very last second and delivering a perfect throw, and though he took a huge hit the O-line giving him enough time against a dominant pass rush to go to his 3rd read.

In comment 14861859 Joey from GlenCove said:

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how about the 07 guys.. which play would you pick?

Yeah that's a tough one. You could go the Tyree helmet catch, but I would say the Tynes kick vs GB. To miss 2 kicks in the 4th quarter and then run out there and make that kick in those conditions just to me exemplifies how that team wouldn't be denied no matter what adversity they faced.

and youll get Summeralls narration of Bavaros catch
Giants Among Men - ( New Window )

started the real run

putting Danny White on the IR. I also remember 4th and 17.

Blocked punt and TD. The smile of joy on his face as he scores is priceless.

Had TO BE THE Leonard MARSHALL hit on Montana knocking him OUT the game that gave us momentum.

Is always overshadowed. We weren’t only down to the Niners 17-0 in 86 but early in the season we were trailing 17-0 to the Saints at home and LT made a tackle on their running back from across the field that woke the team up and we came back to win 20-17.

This is not a play, but I remember the Giants played the Redskins on the night the Mets clinched the series and we were up like 20-0 and the skins came roaring back to tie it up and the crowd was cheering so loud during the Redskins update because the Mets scores were being shouted out in the stands. We won, I believe on a Joe Morris TD late in the game. A glorious season.

Are the TWO signature plays of that glorious season. And that's just ON OFFENSE.
Shit, how many great plays were there on defense?

For me, I felt 4th and 17, week 11 was certainly a turning point. But after coming back against SF (week 13) with the Bavaro play, I felt they were on a roll where they could, and probably WOULD win it all. That was the play that showed me they wouldn't be denied.

But, sadly, I've never felt that since. Even when they won superbowls, it was never through sheer domination again.

about the Johnson catch, if you were listening to Gordon and Lynch on the radio broadcast, Lynch's comment was "what a catch by Johnson!". He was just standing on the sideline when Simms came to him late. That has always cracked me up. Somehow the Vikings lost track of him.

In comment 14861724 redwhiteandbigblue said:

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And those missing Summerall and Madden, I agree. But I miss Summerall and Brookshire more. I know.....I am old but they bring me back to the 60's when I was a little kid.

Yes, I realized that after. It was the Steelers, but the season before. I still love that play.

Bobby J - 4th & 17
LT - INT VD Montana
Bavaro catch vs SF
George Martin - INT & TD vs DEN
Burt sack of Montana
Joe Morris game @ Redskins
Super Bowl safety
McConkey catch in SB
...and I totally remember how jubilant we all were watching the SB game wind down with a convincing lead. There were a lot of close victories that season if I remember correctly.

Even among the many glorious memories of that season, it stands out.

Funny part is, though, I didn't see it live. When I was that age, I had to go to bed at halftime of MNF games. I went to sleep dejectedly, thinking we were going to lose. I woke up the next morning to find a note taped to my bedside lamp. Dad left for work before I got up in the morning, but he still wanted to be the one to tell me in his characteristic all-caps block print. I can still see that note in my mind as if it were this morning...

"FINAL SCORE:

GIANTS 21
SF 17

THEY DID IT!!!"

The 4th and 17 play might have been a more crucial play but the Bavaro play was absolutely inspiring.

though many were just discussion points and opinions not necessarily about one play.

WHat I came up with"

25 for Bobby Johnson 4th-and-17
5 for Mark Bavaro's catch-and-run
1 for George Martin's interception TD

I'd thought Bavaro and Martin would have gotten more votes. While I aknowledge the 4th-and-17 play as the most significant of the season, the other plays are awlays at the forefront of my mind whant I think about 1986.

I remember it fondly - watching it live (on tv) it made you sit up and drop your jaw. It was the first sign we could actually be SB Champs - inspiring.

to Joe Morris.